Brownsville-based infrastructure contractor Michels Corp. recently opened an office in Mount Pleasant, and Waukesha-based wealth management firm Kowal Investment Group plans to open an office in the same building in early 2019.
Michels and Kowal will each lease half of a 10,000-square-foot building at 13303 Washington Ave. that formerly housed Johnson Insurance, until Johnson moved in June to a new 14,000-square-foot office at 1102 Hunter Drive in Mount Pleasant. The Washington Avenue building is owned by Glendale, California-based Nordic Realty Partners LLC.
“We have leased some property there to support our operations on (I-94),” said David Stegeman, chief legal officer and vice president of business administration at Michels.
Michels Corp. is a subcontractor on the Foxconn Technology Group construction project in Mount Pleasant, and related infrastructure and road construction on I-94 and Highway KR. Michels also announced in August it is building a $100 million mixed-use development in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood that will include its new regional office.
Kowal, which has installed a 30-foot sign in front of the building, is expanding its reach with the new office, which is on Highway 20 just off I-94. The firm specializes in retirement financial planning, family businesses and retirement plans for businesses.
Aaron Kowal, managing director of Kowal Investment Group, said the construction and development in the Racine County area helped spur the company’s decision to expand there.
“It’s just the perfect location,” Kowal said. “We’ve got a lot of clients in the area already, so it’s getting to be time anyway to move in there, as well. Future growth in the area is almost a catalyst to get going.”
Aaron Spitzner, a financial advisor at Kowal who lives near the new office, will move to that location. Kowal plans to hire a handful of additional financial advisors to staff the Mount Pleasant office.
This is the fourth office location for Kowal, which also has offices in Waukesha, Port Washington and Middleton. The company has 24 employees, up from 14 two years ago, Kowal said.
Kowal Investment Group advisors previously met clients in the area at restaurants or coffee shops.
“Now, we’re excited to be seeing them in our office in Mount Pleasant and we’re excited to grow and meet new people and be active in that community, as well,” Kowal said.
The firm is completing an interior renovation of about $15,000 before it moves in early next year.
Adam Matson, senior vice president at NAI MLG Commercial, was the broker for Kowal.
